Inmates may not sue prison officials who violate their religious rights, Supreme Court rules
Key takeaways
- WASHINGTON — Prison inmates whose religious rights are clearly violated by guards and wardens may not sue them for damages, a divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
- In a 6-3 decision, the justices said federal law protecting religious liberty allows for suits against state prison systems, but not employees of the prison.
- The decision came in the case of a devout Rastafarian in Louisiana.
The Supreme Court’s six conservative justices said that federal law protecting religious liberty allows for suits against state prison systems, but not employees of the prison. (Mariam Zuhaib / Associated Press) By David G. Savage Staff Writer Follow June 23, 2026 8:41 AM PT 3 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
WASHINGTON — Prison inmates whose religious rights are clearly violated by guards and wardens may not sue them for damages, a divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
In a 6-3 decision, the justices said federal law protecting religious liberty allows for suits against state prison systems, but not employees of the prison.